Martinez trying to bust out of slump

Before going about trying to cure the hitting ailment of J.D. Martinez, who sat out Monday for the fourth time in five days amid a 1-for-35 slump, hitting coach Mike Barnett had to make a diagnosis.

He thinks he found one after noticing Martinez’s walk rate went down alongside the batting average and that the pitches he was hitting were not hitters’ pitches.

“I think the biggest thing that spurred on this slump or funk that he’s been in was that he started out so well swinging the bat and clubs realized that,” Barnett began. “Then he was taking his walks, getting two walks a game, and moving along in the right direction. But he’s a guy that likes to hit. And then he started trying to force the issue.”

So manager Brad Millsgave him a rest to clear his head and take extra early work, for three straight games last week and, when Sunday proved no better with an 0-for-4 afternoon in Pittsburgh, another one Monday in Philadelphia. Mills said the righthanded-hitting Martinez will be back in the lineup Tuesday against lefthander Cliff Leebut likely not in his usual No. 3 spot.

Barnett hopes that when Martinez comes back, the work he put in will have left him with a shorter swing, which allows a hitter to decide later in the ball’s path whether to swing.

As rain looms, starter up in air

The Astros will wait until the last minute to decide a starter for Tuesday’s game, which is complicated by what is supposed to be a rainy day in Philadelphia.

A rainout would eliminate the move for a call-up – and more importantly, a demotion – until Saturday’s game against Texas. If the game does happen, Jordan Lylesis the Class AAA starter on date, and his spot has been listed as TBA as well at Oklahoma City.

But if the Astros want to piece together Tuesday’s game with the help of their eight-man bullpen, Bud Norris would get the start on three days’ rest.